In Ella Baker’s Words

A key inspiration to my process of organizing and activism has lately been driven by the amazing Ella Baker. Ella was a leading civil rights and human rights activist starting back in the 1930’s. In the world where many notable activists demand center stage for their voices and egos, Ella was a true leader who led from behind as well as working side by side in the struggle for human equality. As Ella stated, and Bernice Johnson Reagon lyrics proclaim in “Ella’s Song”:

“To me young people come first, they have the courage where we fail
And if I can shed some light as they carry us through the gale
The older I get the better I know that the secret of my going on
Is when the reins are in the hand of the young who dare to run against the storm
Not needing to clutch for power, not needing the light just to shine on me
I need to be just one in the number as we stand against tyranny
Struggling myself don’t mean a whole lot I come to realize
That teaching others to stand up and fight is the only way my struggle survive”

All of us, no matter how big or how small we or our work are, should take stock in Ella’s vision and practice of activism! Another key belief of Ella’s was that “you must let the oppressed themselves define their own freedom.” A mantra that we in the the Trans community must embrace if we are to realize the true freedoms we desire. Metroline can attempt to marginalize or erase the power of the Trans movement, though we the Trannies, the Queens, the Kings, the Queers have and continue to define our own freedom ~ and not let our history or our futures be defined by Metroline, HRC or any other entity that attempts to marginalize our identity and beauty!

To learn more about Ella, I encourage you at least to read Ella Baker and the Black Freedom Movement: A Radical Democratic Vision.

Below are both a video of Sweet Honey in the Rock singing Ella’s song (lyrics and music by Bernice Johnson Reagon) and the inspiring lyrics, of which many lines are based on things Ella said. Enjoy.

Ella’s Song
Composed by Bernice Johnson Reagon, copyright: Songtalk Publishing Co.

Refrain:
We who believe in freedom cannot rest
We who believe in freedom cannot rest until it comes

Verses
Until the killing of Black men, Black mothers’ sons
Is as important as the killing of White men, White mothers’ sons

And that which touches we most is that I had a chance to work with people
Passing on to others that which was passed on to me

To me young people come first, they have the courage where we fail
And if I can shed some light as they carry us through the gale

The older I get the better I know that the secret of my going on
Is when the reins are in the hand of the young who dare to run against the storm

Not needing to clutch for power, not needing the light just to shine on me
I need to be just one in the number as we stand against tyranny

Struggling myself don’t mean a whole lot I come to realize
That teaching others to stand up and fight is the only way my struggle survive

I’m a woman who speaks in a voice and I must be heard
At time I can be quite difficult, I’ll bow to no man’s word